For the fourth time in five years, 100 percent of new CUW occupational therapy graduates have passed their national licensing examination.
When patients seek the help of a qualified healthcare professional, they’re putting their well-being – and sometimes their very lives – into that person’s hands. That’s why proper training, certification, and licensing is so important. It’s all about trust.
And that’s why CUW is so proud to congratulate the occupational therapy 2020 graduates for achieving a 100 percent pass rate on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam. It’s the fourth time in the past five years CUW grads have reached that lofty benchmark.
Nationally, only 97 percent of new graduates pass the NBCOT exam during the 2020 year of testing, putting CUW grads ahead of the curve. But “head knowledge” and performing well on exams is only one aspect of becoming an outstanding occupational therapist. What some might call “heart knowledge” – a natural extension of Concordia’s roots in strong Christian values – is at least as important.
“Because we teach our students to develop in mind, body, and spirit, they learn compassion and how to connect with people on a very deep level,” says Dr. Carrie Bath-Scheel, professor and OT department chair at CUW. “We also teach our students to become leaders, and it’s extremely gratifying to watch their confidence and professionalism grow as they move through the program.”
Anyone interested in a career in occupational therapy should know it’s a growing field, with a 16 percent growth rate projected between 2019 and 2029. That’s much faster than the national rate for all occupations, making it a promising line of work for people with a passion for working with patients of all ages – and helping them be able to do more of what they love doing.
“I’m so proud of all our students and graduates,” Bath-Scheel says, “and I’m especially proud of how much they care about their patients and how they are able to help make positive changes in their communities.”
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in occupational therapy at CUW, visit the Master of OT or Doctor of OT page to learn more. Concordia University offers the entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program in three formats – accelerated, blended and transitional. Each approach is based on a liberal arts foundation and encompasses 2-3 years of professional education beyond a bachelor’s degree.
— This story is written by Mike Zimmerman, corporate communications manager for Concordia University Wisconsin. He may be reached at michael.zimmerman@cuw.edu or 262-243-4380.
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